Baptism by "Elijah"

A QUESTION:

Hi Sis,

I was reading an old blog entry and I think you said you were going to re-baptize yourself. I was wondering if you ever did that?

Were you baptized before the new vows as I was? 

(pearl-baptismvows.blogspot.com)

I guess the question is, does it matter if a dedication to the Organization was in the vows or not, when we were baptized?

On the other hand, Jesus was baptized even though he was from within a dedicated nation. not sure why i mention that.

For me, the question is, was there any mention of the Org in the vows when you were baptized? But was devotion to the Org implied anyway, even before?

So did you get re-baptised?

MY REPLY:

Here is the post about Re-Baptism: 

http://4womaninthewilderness.blogspot.com/2013/03/good-day-sister-d-thank-you-for-that.html

I was baptized after the dedication to the Org. was formally inserted.

Yet there is a reason (which I will explain below) why I have not rushed to be rebaptized.

It does matter that a dedication to "God's spirit-directed Organization" is included in the vow, as this un-scriptural inclusion (Matt.28:19) progresses the goals of Satan, so that all those in the Org (even before this baptism vow changed) are included in the change, just by their accepting the vow said by others. 

This gradual change is what is meant by the "froglike" expressions (Rev.16:13). "Froglike" is the symbol for something that changes over time, starting out so different from what it winds up to be (egg, tadpole, frog). Changing doctrines gradually, is one of Satan's tactics when it comes to making God's people accept his lying doctrines....

He starts out with a near-truth (Matt.4:1,6; Gen.3:1), and gradually changes it over time, until people are accepting the lies which he needs them to believe (2Thess.2:9,10,11,12), in order to reach his goal and purposes (Rev.12:15,17; 2Cor.11:3,4).

(Explained fully, in: pearl-666.blogspot.com)

Now regarding the reason why God's people, already dedicated to Him, 

were baptized by John the Baptist, is told to us in the scriptures.... 

"I (John speaking) baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." (Matt.3:11).

Notice that although the Jews were God's people, the Jews were in need of repentance. The nation was rebelling against God (Mark7:6,7,8,9,13). John was there to prepare the way (cleanse people) for Christ, so that people were ready to accept him, as well as ready for God's inspection and judgment based upon their reception of His Son (Luke 1:16-17; 19:42,44; John 8:26,37,40; Acts 2:22,32; 3:13-15,17,19,23) (elijah-turns-hearts).

Jesus (according to his flesh) was a part of that wayward nation, and set the right example for all it's members when he was baptized. (LINK)

Yet as a whole, that nation failed it's inspection by God, to be replaced by the spiritual seed of Abraham (Hosea 6:7; Matt.7:21; 21:43,42,44; Eph.2:19-22; 1Pet.2:5,10; 1Cor.3:16; Matt.23:37-38; Rom.9:24-26; Micah 4:6-8; 1Pet.2:10,9; Matt.3:9; Gal.3:28-29,26; Rom.8:16-17; Rev.5:9-10; Eph.3:8; Rev.21:7; Heb.10:16; Deut.11:18; Rev.14:1; Rom.2:28-29; Jer.31:31-33; Heb.8:7; John 4:21,23-24; Heb.10:16).

The same inspection is underway for God's called ones (1Pet.2:9,12; Luke 21:36; 1Pet.4:17; 2Cor.5:10; Rev.2:5; 3:3; 20:12; John 12:48; 5:25,24; Rev.2:17; 3:20; John 10:3; Heb.13:13; Matt.16:24; Rev.14:4-5; Rom.6:5; Mark 8:35). Like God's former nation, repentance is needed today by these. Do they also need to be re-baptized in literal water, to remove their stain of sin (Mal.3:2,3; Rev.3:18; Luke 18:8; 17:26-37; Rev.13:7,10; Matt.5:13; Rev.11:2)? 

It is the spiritual meaning of baptism which is most significant.

What is that meaning?

It is this spiritual meaning, which more fully explains why Jesus was baptized, even though he had no reason to repent.

That spiritual meaning of baptism is for those called ones, and is referred to at Eph.5:25,26,27:

25 "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless". (John 17:17 "sanctify")

Eph.5:25-27 and John17:17 make pretty clear that the meaning of water baptism, is a "washing" by means of the truth of God's Word.

Certainly the chosen of today need that cleansing from the final deceptions of Satan 
(Rev.12:15,17; Matt.24:24,25; Rev.13:7; Dan.8:12) 
to prepare for the inspection and final return of the Master, Christ 
(Luke 21:36; 12:36,37,38,39,40; Matt.24:42,44; 25:19,29,30; Rev.6:17). 

This is harmonious with Mal.3:1-3:

“I will send my messenger (Greek meaning of "angel" -Rev.1:1,20), who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple (1Cor.3:16); the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty. 2 But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, 4 and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years." 

This last Elijah messenger, is the one spoken of at Zech.4:9; Matt.25:6; Hab.2:2; Mal.4:5; 3:1; 2:4; and Matt.17:10,11; Jer.16:15; 23:8; Micah 4:6-8; Gal.4:26; Dan.8:14; Ps.74:3; Isa.61:4; 49:8; Matt.17:11; Isa.52:9; 48:20; Matt.24:14). 

(John the Baptist, was one of these preparing heralds)--(Luke 1:13,17,76; Matt.11:10,14) (Matt.3:3; Isa.40:3; 43:19; 48:6,7; 65:18; 2Cor.5:17; Rev.21:5; Jer.31:21-23; Num.16:30; Rev.12:16). (Num.16:30; Ps.55:15; Eze.31:14; Isa.43:1,2; 1Cor.3:13,14).

What does this have to do with Jesus being baptized?

Even though he himself is the "Word" and spokesman of God (John 1:1,2,14,18), he too bound himself to obey the Word of God, and all that had been written about him within it (John 12:49,50; 14:10; 19:28; Matt.26:39; 5:17; Luke 4:21). He came to obey and accomplish God's expressed will (Ps.40:7,8) 

...which brings us back to Matt.3:15:

"But Jesus answering said to him, "Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he permitted Him."

........which was the reason Jesus himself stated for his baptism.

It was righteous for him to do what he expected of his own followers,

and what was expected of God's entire Nation, under both covenants.

Jesus was not a hypocrite. The very waters of truth used to cleanse his "brothers"/God's Nation, he himself would fulfill and obey 

(Heb.10:9; John 12:49; Luke 22:42; Heb.5:8-9).

Baptism is the symbol of that discipline, to which all worshipers of God must submit to and obey. Christ included himself in that subjection, sanctification, and obedience, to fulfill all righteousness (John17:19,17; 1John3:3; Heb.2:11,17; 4:15; 5:2).

Yet we also remember (when we think about the symbolic meaning of baptism)

that it is not so much the spoken vow, but the actions which follow that matter most.

Jesus made this plain, at Matt.21:28,29,30,31. 

So even if we have unwittingly vowed to worship the Organization,

if we then remove it's slave mark from our right hand and forehead (Rev.13:16), 

by becoming slaves of God's Word instead (Deut.6:6,8),

...then we have fulfilled the will of God, and have been washed clean by truth,
displayed through a trained perception and the good conscience it affords us,

which is after all, the real meaning of baptism. 
(Eph.5:26; John 15:3; Heb.10:22; 1Pet.3:21; John 3:5; 4:24; Prov.1:2,3,4; 2Tim.3:16; Ps.19:7,8,9; Heb.4:12; 5:14)

This cleansing is certainly needed by God's Nation today 

(1Tim.4:1; Matt.24:4,5,24,25; Rev.13:7,10; Dan.8:11,12,13; Rev.11:2).
As John the baptist came in the spirit of Elijah (Luke 1:17);
so does the final herald (Matt.17:11). He also prepares God's nation for the arrival of Christ,
by calling for repentance, and a cleansing by means of the water of life (John 4:10; Rev.21:6; 22:1,17).

I hope you have found a solid answer in these scriptures.

If it is lacking, please respond.

Love,

Pearl

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